


Promises

by Sassywrites77



Series: Naruto Rare Pair Week [6]
Category: Naruto, Naruto Shippuden
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, Family, Fluff, Just a little angst, Mild Language, i mean Shika is older, mirai is around 5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24075511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sassywrites77/pseuds/Sassywrites77
Summary: Shikamaru kept his promise to Asuma to take care of Kurenai and Mirai.  Somehow they became a family somewhere along the way.
Relationships: Nara Shikamaru/Yuuhi Kurenai
Series: Naruto Rare Pair Week [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1731169
Comments: 3
Kudos: 5





	Promises

**Author's Note:**

> Day 6 of Naruto Rare Pair Week with the prompt Family. I just like the idea of it starting out as fulfilling a promise to his sensei but when he gets older, he realizes he has become a part of the family. I'm not completely happy with how this turned out, but it is what it is I guess.

Shikamaru wasn’t sure when exactly it happened, but as he sat across from Kurenai and Mirai sharing yet another meal, he realized he wasn’t just fulfilling his promise to his sensei anymore. He was in love with Kurenai, and he felt like Mirai was his child though he would never take her real father away from her. They were his family though, there was no other way he could describe them.

Now that the thought was seated in his brain, it was all he could think of. He knew Kurenai was concerned for him as he abruptly left after dinner, but he needed to think. He wasn’t so sure she felt the same way. She may not even want him in that way. But as he strolled through the Nara forest, he thought back on times they had shared, just him and Kurenai.

Was it possible she could feel the same? Would she be willing to become a real family with him? He leaned against a tree and pulled his cigarettes from his pocket, sticking one between his lips but not lighting it as he held Asuma’s lighter up to it. He stared at it a moment, thinking of his sensei. What would he think of Shikamaru’s feelings for the woman he had loved, the woman that was the mother to his child he would never hold.

Shikamaru sighed, sliding down the tree to sit with his back pressed against the bark, his knees drawn up to his chest as he contemplated the situation. It wasn’t as though he had intended this to happen. If Asuma had lived, it never would have happened. He knew that but still felt guilty. Later, he couldn’t recall standing up and making his way to the memorial garden until he looked up to find the monument with Asuma’s name on it.

He held his hand up, fingertips brushing across Asuma’s name as tears stinging his eyes as he spoke to his long-dead sensei. “I’m so sorry Asuma-sensei. I only meant to fulfill the promise I made to you. I never meant to fall in love with your Kurenai, but somewhere along the way, I did. I hope you can forgive me for wanting to be with her, for hoping that she returns my feelings. I hope you can be happy if we do become a family. I promise no matter what, your daughter will know who her father was and what an amazing man he was. I promise.” Shikamaru’s voice cracked with his last words as he fell to his knees, head bowed, his fingers still touching his sensei’s name.

He wasn’t sure how long he stayed there, but he finally pushed himself to his feet and headed toward home falling into bed and a night of fitful sleep. Tomorrow, he would talk to Kurenai.

He showed up at Kurenai’s just as she was returning from dropping Mirai off at school. She smiled upon seeing him and ushered him inside the house. “Mirai will be so sad she missed you,” she said as he followed her into the kitchen. He sat down at the table as she put a kettle on the stovetop. “Tea?” she asked, turning to look at him, her smile dropping as she took in the nervous look on his face. “Shikamaru, are you alright?”

When she moved to place her hand to his forehead, his fingers wrapped around her wrist briefly before letting go. “Kurenai,” he spoke, his voice slightly husky. “I need to talk to you.”  
Kurenai worried her bottom lip with her teeth as she settled in the chair next to him. 

“Shikamaru, you’re really worrying me now. What is going on?”

He looked at her then, and her eyes widened at the look in his eyes. “Kurenai,” he choked on her name. “I don’t know how to say this. Ugh. Why is this so difficult?”

Kurenai took his hand between hers, a soft smile on her lips as a show of encouragement. “Whatever it is, Shikamaru, it can’t be that bad.”

He pulled his hand from hers, standing abruptly, shoving his hands in his hair without thinking and pulling several strands from the hairband he always wore. “What if it is that bad?” he asked, frustrated with himself. He had practiced what he wanted to say to her the whole walk over, and now he couldn’t do it. He looked down at her and the anxious expression on her face calmed him instantly. He couldn’t stand to have her look at him that way.

He sat down next to her again. “Shit,” he whispered to himself, making her giggle at him. He looked up to see the anxiousness gone, though she still looked confused even as she grinned at him.

“I love you,” he blurted out. Well damn, that wasn’t how he meant for that to go. He held her gaze, watching to see if she looked horrified. She blinked slowly, her mouth dropping open.

“Shika, I…”

His heart leaped in his chest at the nickname, but he knew that didn’t really mean anything. He rushed to comfort her. “It’s okay. If you don’t feel the same, it’s okay. I understand. It’s just...I realized last night I had fallen in love with you somewhere along the way. And while I never want to replace Asuma as Mirai’s father, I feel like the two of you are my family. I want to be with you, both of you. If you’ll have me.” As he finished speaking, he dropped his head down, focusing on a spot on the table in front of him, afraid to see the look in her eyes at his confession.

He jumped when he felt her small, warm hands cup his face. “Oh, Shikamaru. You have been such a blessing to Mirai and me. At first, you were just Asuma’s student checking in on his sensei’s family, but lately…” she paused and Shikamaru looked up hopefully, to see a soft smile and tears in Kurenai’s eyes. “I had pushed my feelings down. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling for you, and admittedly I was scared. What I’m saying, rather horribly, is I love you too, Shikamaru.”

Before she could say anything else, Shikamaru leaned forward and pressed his lips softly to hers, just a brief kiss before pulling back. “Sorry, I just...I’ve been wanting to do that for a while now. I just didn’t want to admit it to myself or you.”

Kurenai didn’t answer, just leaned back into him for another kiss. They weren’t sure how long they would have kissed, sitting there at the kitchen table, but as it was they were interrupted by the kettle’s loud whistle, the two of them jumping apart with a laugh.

Kurenai got up and pulled two cups down, making the tea then placing both cups on the table. She smiled at Shikamaru as she sat back down, feeling like a giddy school girl again as his dark eyes met hers.

“I want to take you out to dinner, just the two of us. If that’s okay with you. I love spending time with Mirai, but I would love to spend time, just us.”

Kurenai grinned. “You don’t have to explain. Kiba and Akamaru love watching Mirai. Just tell me when, and it’s a date.

She watched as Shikamaru “What a drag” Nara looked at her with barely contained excitement. “Great!” he exclaimed, his face turning red. “I mean, uh, great. How about tomorrow night? Is that too soon?”

“That sounds fine. If Kiba isn’t available, there are tons of others who love looking after her.”

“Alright. Well, I guess I should go. I’ll see you tomorrow for our date?”

“You don’t have to go, yet. And we don’t have to wait until tomorrow. I’m sure Mirai would love for her Shika to pick her up from school today since she missed you this morning.”

“Yeah, I’d like that. Maybe I could stay for dinner again?”

Kurenai laughed, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. “Of course, you can.”

Shikamaru ended up staying for a couple of hours, the two of them finding themselves cuddling on the sofa sharing kisses as they talked more. When Shikamaru left, he found himself looking forward to his date tomorrow. Now, he just needed to go find Ino. She would tell him the perfect place to take Kurenai for a date.


End file.
